Naruto: The Samurai
by Spade-Ace-Joker
Summary: A lush nation with a beautiful capital. A Hero in search of a new home. A girl in search of an answer. A man driven by revenge. A Emperor commanded by vanity. Chaos ensues when they collide. Konoha will never be the same.
1. Chapter 1

**Naruto: The Samurai**

**Chapter One**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

**AN: SAJ here. I am trying my hand at another fanfic. No this does not mean I am stopping "Sands of Change". I will be working on this one on the side and will update it a lot slower than my other story. Hope you like it.**

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The Land of Fire. The largest organized nation of civilian and military forces as far as the eye could see. In the center of the lush country was Konoha, the crowned jewel of Hyuuga Empire that stretchered and encompassed every inch of the Land of Fire. "The City of Paradise" is what many called Konoha.

And in truth it truly was. The city was beautifully dressed in remarkable white painting with gold trimmings on the buildings. The red roofs where stark but needed contrast from the paler colors below. The jade statues around Konoha stood as reminders of the wealth of the city.

In the very center of the stunning city was the Hyuuga Palace. It was easily identifiable by the sheer size of the place and the lavender tinted roofing. This Palace was home to the illustrious and mysterious Hyuuga Clan with Emperor Hiashi as the head.

With Hiashi as the Emperor the Hyuuga Clan flourish and grew to the powerful force it was today. The Hyuuga Clan were supremely feared for their sword style of the "Gentle Swing" and their pale, cold and unfeeling eyes. It was with this force and power that they had conquered every inch of the Land of Fire and were the unquestioned leaders of such land.

But they were not the only ones in the Land of Fire. To the North, just over the Iwa Mountains were the Uchiha Clan. These iron mongers were the pinnacle of fighting prowess. With their "Sharingan" stance they were able to counter most strikes and predict attacks from slight muscle movement. They maintained a small civilian population for the basic supplies such as food and clean water. For the most part their attention was focused on their military.

The Uchiha were lead by Itachi Uchiha. The eldest son of their late leader. The details surrounding the death of Fugaku Uchiha, the previous leader, were shady at best. Some believe Itachi killed him while others preferred not to know. Itachi lead with a more gentle fist than his father but still upheld the Uchiha way of life.

The Uchiha were long time rivals of the Hyuuga and while their land is not as big as the Hyuuga they still held their own. The Hyuuga have tried on many occasions to rid the Land of the Uchiha only to end in a stalemate each and every time. Some would even go as far to say as the two clans were evenly matched in fighting strength.

Little did they both know that a new Clan would be arriving on the shores. To the South several boats were landing with foreigners of the like which know one had ever seen before.

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[The Shore to the South]

The Namikaze Clan were always a rather strange bunch. They were very well known in the Land of Whirlpool, to which they originate from, for being fair and kind hearted to their people and the Samurai that were with them. The Namikaze Clan was tied to the Uzumaki Clan by marriage of the two leaders of the Clan. Minato Namikaze, Head of the Namikaze Clan, and Kushina Uzumaki, Head of the Uzumaki Clan, were the two wed. The union of these two formed a rather sizable Clan worthy of any war.

The two of them had a son first. The boy's name was Naruto and he was the heir to both Clans making him especially important to both of them. He was currently Eighteen years old and was a fine swordsmen. His blade had become almost as famous as he was. His blade was the almighty 'The Kyuubi'. Quite the blade indeed.

The next born was his sister Karin, younger by two years. She took after her mother strongly. He fiery attitude and anger were testament to compliment her. Being an Uzumaki, Karin had to learn to wield a blade and to practice with it often. In truth she didn't really enjoy it. She liked to study and learn new things about the world around here. That is what drew her to go on this trip.

When they had finally arrived it was Naruto who wanted to go and get the exploration under way.

"Land! Woohoo! Let's go and see what we can find!" Naruto said as he carelessly jumped off the boat and onto the white sand that covered the beaches. His parents and sister chuckling at him.

"We he seems eager." Karin and Kushina nodded at Minato. He pointed to three other armed samurai "Could you three go with him and make sure he doesn't hurt himself?" Minato asked with a smile. The three looked to each other and chuckled. Lord Naruto was a strange person sometimes.

The three hopped off the boat and followed Naruto, who was currently picking a fight with a rather sizable crab.

Back on the boats the workers were gathering up supplies to being building a small encampment suitable for living. In the mean time, Kushina and Karin were walking along the beach.

"What do you think Karin? Does this water look like it might have a high amount of fish?" Kushina asked with a small smile on her face. Karin looked down at the water and ran her hand through it.

"I believe so Mother. It looks so beautiful here. Kind of like home." She commented quietly. Kushina frowned a bit. They had to leave Whirlpool due to a Hurricane that wiped out a large amount of everything the Clans had. The remaining force, while large, had to leave for newer lands.

"Yeah I guess it kind of does. A little bit more blue and a little less green." Kushina finally said. Karin looked at the water curiously.

"Yeah I guess...I guess it does. " Karin stared at the water with focus.

"I wonder why that it is." Kushina said with a smile knowing it would spark the girls curiosity.

"I hope to find out." Karin said offhandedly while walking around in the water. Kushina smiled again and looked over to an amusing sight.

Maito Guy and Rock Lee of the Namikaze Clan were currently having a contest against each other. Each were trying to do more push ups than the other could. These two were a rather new addition to the Clan but not an welcomed one. They were energetic fighters that were masters of the "Eight Gates" fighting style. A rather draining and strong style of fighting.

Soon the two were up and were racing around the beach doing laps. Carefully and skillfully bobbing through the workers and the supplies so as to not slow down the process. Kushina sighed and looked towards the sky with a hand providing shade for her eyes.

The blue sky here was something to behold. The clear sky and crystal clear water made this land beautiful and they had only been here a few minutes at the most. It made her wonder. Who else could be here?

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Naruto could hardly contain his excitement and for good reason. Spending the last few months on the boat had nearly driven him to the point of insanity. He contemplated telling his parents that he was just going to swim the rest of the way. He certainly had the energy for it.

He brushed another low branch out of his way, his armor jingling with the movement of his arm. He pushed his way past the shrubbery and stood tall on the hill after it. His right had lay limp on his side while his left hand rested on his sword. His orange armor glistened in the sun.

The three behind him came to the hill and looked out over the vast amount of plains that were present. This land would make for good farming land provided that no one was around here. They were really not looking for a fight with another force. They were exhausted plus they respected the rights of others. If they were there first then they would leave them be.

Naruto searched around, looking for others that may be inhabiting the place. When he saw nothing in sight he smiled and nodded to the land, proud of his find. He was just about to turn around when he noted that a small group of people were coming towards him. He smiled and began to walk towards them.

"Lord Naruto wait! They could be dangerous." One of the Clan Samurai said with caution in his voice. Naruto kept walking and simply waved his hand.

"I'm sure they aren't. Plus I can handle a few bandits." Naruto said with a smile, the guards stood close by and walked. They trust their lord but they would never leave him unprotected like that in front of strangers.

"Hello Lord Samurai." One of the villagers said with a bow. Naruto returned the bow.

"Hello to you as well. Can you tell me what you are doing out here?" He asked calmly. The villagers looked nervously at each other. Each weary of the possible outcome of the situation.

"We saw ships on the horizon and came to check it out." Naruto's eyes narrowed in on the man that spoke. He was big and well filled out. Much better off than you would expect a villager with no farm land to be. Still he kept on his false smile.

"Oh that makes sense. Sorry if we frightened you. We mean no harm. Me and my men will be on our way now." Naruto said and began to bow deeply. This is when his warrior instincts kicked in and everything slowed down.

The big man from before pulled out a small hammer and charged through the crowd, knocking a few others off guard. Naruto mentally sighed. Why did situations always have to come to violence like this? With a swift movement of his right hand he branded his Katana 'Kyuubi'. The red steel of the weapon seemed to burn in the daylight.

_Slash_

One moment Naruto was bowing and the next he was standing with his sword in his right hand, dripping blood. The big man had fallen headless and his body lay on the ground next to Naruto. Naruto's expression had gone from happy an inviting to hostile in a matter of seconds.

"So, do you all plan on attacking me?" Naruto asked seriously. The rest of the group paled and began to shiver except for and older man in the back.

"Forgive these people Lord. They are extremely skittish and nervous around your type." Naruto turned his eyes to the old man. He studied him for a moment before nodding.

"All is forgiven. Can you tell me your name?" Naruto asked in a neutral tone.

"My name is Tazuna and I believe we can help each other."

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[Several Hours later]

Minato was not the type to coddle his son. When he was little he let him figure things out for himself. When he had problems and got into fights he would offer advice and let the boy handle his own problems. It was a simple method and had worked wonders so far.

But when his son is gone for a few hours without sending anyone back to explain the situation he would get a pinch worried.

Okay maybe very worried. A Father has a right to worry right?

Kushina on the other hand was a different story. As a mother she felt the need to care for her children with love and comfort when they needed it. And swift punishment when they needed it as well. She, as a mother, always worried for her children. It could not be helped. So when her son is gone and there is no trace of him she loses her mind and sanity.

"Where is Naruto?!" She hollers out, concerned for the lost of his eldest child.

"Mom please relax. I'm sure brother is fine." Karin says calmly trying to relax her panic stricken mother. Karin was of course worried for her brother but this was not the time to panic about it.

"Yes my love. I am sure Naruto is fine." Minato said as he looked up to the now bright full moon. He had to be strong for his family but even he could not hide the fear in his voice. The fire place around him crackled loudly as the flames licked the cool air.

Everyone else from the journey was either quiet or asleep. Minato couldn't blame them for sleeping. The trip was not only mentally exhausting but emotionally. For many they were leaving the home they had always called theirs. They were leaving behind years of heritage.

"Well I have given Naruto all the time I am willing to spare. I am asking for a search party. Only if you are ready to go." Minato asked his group knowing a few people would not be up to the task quite yet.

"Yosh! I'll go!" Both Guy and Lee called out in unison, their green and orange armor clanking around as they jumped up. Minato nodded as a few others rose to their feet. He strapped on his blade 'Hiraishin' and together they went.

Or at least were about to go.

Naruto decided at that very moment to come walking causally to the camp. His face was not all bright and joyous. He looked hollow but he had no wounds on his. The three men behind him looked relatively close to the same.

Minato stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder "Son what's wrong?" His father's voice seemed to bring him back to reality.

"I went out to explore like I said right?" Minato nodded and the two began to walk the very short distance back to camp. "Well we came across an elderly man by the name of Tazuna. He is a local here. He showed me the village he is from. Not far from here at all. It is being run into the ground by a samurai by the name of Zabuza Momochi and his assistant Haku. These two are sucking the life out of the village by controlling everything that goes on in the village to ensure they get the most resources and supplies. They asked me to get rid of them. In return they will work with us and help us. I figured it would be a good start for a village and city of our own." Naruto finished gaining his fire and will back with each word.

It was easy to see that Naruto was not one for injustice and could not stand to see people so down and crushed by others. He wanted to help these people but he could not do it alone. He could only hope that his family agreed with him and agreed to help them.

Minato looked at his son with a small smile. He was much like him when he was that age. He truly could not stand the evil that plagued the land and the people. It seemed everywhere they went more and more people were forced to do things they didn't want to. And all because someone said they had to.

Kushina smiled widely at her son. She had raised him right to know what is right and what is wrong. Karin smiled in the same manner her mother did.

"Alright Naruto. I want to hear the whole story in the morning then we will decide if we should interfere or not. For now get some sleep. You look like you could use it." Minato said before laying down next to the fire.

Naruto looked across the beach. There were a lot of fires going on. Not as many as he thought but then again some people were probably still sleeping on the boat. Naruto slowly took off his armor and sword and laid down in his shirt and pants next to it. He sighed to himself as he looked up at the moon.

_It really is beautiful._

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Hinata sighed as she looked at the moon. Another night locked in her room, forbidden to leave by her ever loving father and Emperor. Hinata didn't really care for Hiashi all that much. He was cold and mean to her constantly. He would label her as a failure all the time even though she was trying to do her best to keep him happy.

He tried to get her to master the "Gentle Swing" sword fighting style but it was just not happening. To be good at that stance you needed to have a good strong base and a need to stay grounded. Hinata did not like feeling trapped and preferred to have motion when she fought.

But yet again it was enough for the "Daughter of the most Powerful man alive." She could barely stand his arrogance but she had to. She had nowhere to go, no place to escape to. But at least she had a friend. Sure he was her cousin but he was a friend none the less. Her cousin Neji always provided the love she never got.

A knock on the door drew her out of her thoughts and into the realm of reality.

"Come in." She says quietly and calmly, prepared for her father in case he was not happy with her again. Her hand raised up to a pale cheek where a bruise used to be. She shuddered and nearly cried but held herself together.

"Lady Hinata?" Hinata looked through the door and smiled. It was her cousin Neji. She was seldom allowed to see him anymore. Neji was the Clan prodigy. He was the most skilled master of the family style that they had ever seen.

"Neji!" She ran over over and hugged him. He flowing white and lavender Kimono following her. Neji received and hugged his cousin back. He was rarely allowed to do anything that would merit free time of any sort. He had to keep training to that one day, he could defeat the Uchiha.

"What are you doing here?" Hinata asked while letting go of her cousin.

"I came to get you. Your father requires an audience with you." He said quietly. In truth he didn't like Hiashi either but he would do what he must to keep Hinata safe from harm. Hinata's face took on a much darker and more saddened look to it.

"Oh I see. When is he expecting me?" Hinata asked with a voice that reeked of Imperial authority that she would need to face her father. Neji's hand went up to his head where a cursed tattoo was. He could feel the very magic in the ink. He sighed.

"Not for a few more minutes. But I wanted to talk to you." Hinata eyed him carefully but nodded regardless.

"About what cousin?" Neji looked around signaling that he did not want to mention this in open halls. Hinata moved out of the doorway and shut the door behind him. The two of them walked over and sat down on her large oval shaped bed. The lavender sheets bending under their weight.

"About what you're practicing in here." Hinata frowned at his words. She needed to do this. It was something she was actually good at.

"I have to Neji. How else will I get that thing off your head?" She gestured up to the mark on his forehead. Neji sighed at her.

"I get that but you are starting to scare the maids and other members of the family." Hinata huffed at the remark.

"If they knew what I was doing they would be thanking me!" She protested. Neji nodded to her.

"That is very true. I just...I just don't want to see you hurt is all." Neji placed a hand on her shoulder. She placed a soft hand over his rougher hand.

"I know. Father is probably expecting me. I should get going." They both rose and left the room without another word. They had to play it safe.

Hinata turned and began her way to her Father. She donned her Imperial walk and air of authority as she moved. She would need it. She watched around as the halls grew more and more detailed as she approached the throne room. Just another sign her father had a large ego.

She eventually came to the doors and took in a deep breath. She pushed open the doors and began to walk to the throne. She stopped a good distance away from the seat. She bowed. The wooden pillars on the sides of her were already committed to memory. She did not need to seem them anymore.

"You sent for me Father?" She asked getting up and looking him in the eye.

"I did. There have been rumors." He let the sentence linger in the air a moment. "Of you doing things you shouldn't." He knew that she understood what he was talking about.

"I assure you father that they were just rumors." Hinata replied quickly, he eyes threatened to lower themselves from his gaze onto the red and gold carpet below them.

"I certainly hope they are. If I hear such rumors again I will punish you for it, False or not." Hiashi stated calmly.

"Of course Father."

"Now I want you to go and get ready for tonight. We have a suitor for you coming and I want you to do your best to not embarrass the Clan and Hyuuga name. Now remove yourself from my sight." Hiashi said with a wave of his hand.

Hinata bowed and turned to leave. She had to focus to not let her anger get the better of her. She had to maintain her 'Hyuuga Calm' as her father had put it. She struggled to fight back tears that threatened to wet her cheeks with their presence.

She made her way back to her room before anyone could call for her or even see her. She hated the way her father treated her. The way he looked at her with such disgust and such fury. It was sickening to Hinata but such was the way of the family.

As she sat on her bed she wiped a few stray tears from her eyes. She had to get ready. A suitor was coming to see her soon and she couldn't let father be disappointed. She wouldn't let him be disappointed. It was sad to think of such things this way but Hinata enjoyed when suitors came. It's true they wanted her for a baby machine but for at least one night. They would pay attention to her and not judge her.

She sighed and looked out the window. The moonlight lighting up the city along with the various lanterns.

The Moon certainly looked beautiful tonight.

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Itachi sat back in his chair and looked out over the village. All of them were his people and were eager to get back to what they knew best. To get back to war and to fight. To make the Uchiha name feared and strong again. It was this line of thought that caused them this problem in the first place. The constant fighting and his father had caused a fundamental problem that they were lucky to avoid thus far.

The Uchiha were so focused on being the best fighters they often forgot about the other aspects of life. When Itachi put them into a peacetime mode many forgot how to do simple things. Farming was a hard fought battle for the seasons. But slowly the people learned and they grew from this. Many thought Itachi to be weak but he was not ever called stupid.

But the people were getting restless and the time to strike would be soon at hand. There was a small town just over the mountain that could be used as a foothold in the Land of Fire. Itachi stood out of his chair and looked towards the mountains.

These mountains were possibly the only reason the Hyuuga had not wiped them out before. The mountains were tall and sturdy figures that were hazardous to anyone who would attempt to climb them. It would be nearly impossible to move and army through there.

Not to mention the sheer amount of cannons that the Uchiha possessed. Among their army they had skilled men who could fire these cannons which such accuracy that it would incinerate armies before they even got close. Truly the Uchiha fighting force was like nothing the world had seen.

Itachi sighed at the mountains. In the moonlight he could almost see the Iron in them. With the size of them he could almost reach out and touch their rocky surface. He tuned his gazes towards the mountain tops. The snow was beginning to melt. His peacetime plea ended when the snow was gone. Soon..

...The Uchiha would strike once again...

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**AN: Hey there all. Hoped you liked it. Please let me know what you think of it! Hopefully you enjoy it. Like I said I will update this slower as my main focus will be on my other story "The Sands of Change". Till next time!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Naruto: The Samurai**

**Chapter Two**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

**AN: SAJ here again and happy to present another chapter. No more rambling from me. Onward to the next chapter! Please enjoy.**

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The sun rose very slowly for Hinata this morning. All week long she had been bombarded by Suitors of all kinds from all kinds of places. Some from far away places others from within the very Palace itself. Hinata shuddered at the mere thought of marrying one of her very distance cousins.

So far she had been allowed to deny her Suitors if she wished. She knew that this was not out of kindness of her Father's part. He wanted her to at least be comfortable with the person to bring honor to the family and the name. He could care less if she loved this person or not. To him it was all about the money and the name.

Hinata sat up and yawned quietly to herself. Rubbing the sleep out her eyes she decided she would get cleaned up and dressed for the day and head out to the gardens. Rumor had it that her mother enjoyed the gardens and had planted many of the plants there with her own hands.

She frowned a sad frown at the memory of her mother. No one had yet to actually explain the real reason behind it all but Hinata's mother was killed. She didn't know any of the details or any of the facts about it. It was like one giant cover up that no one seemed to remember.

She sighed deeply. Her father was hiding something and she knew but she couldn't do anything about it. Hiashi could have her wiped from the face of the planet in a simple movement of his hand. At least for right now. Hinata looked over to a little brown book she had sitting on her bed. She smiled.

That book is her salvation. The only memory of her mother that she had left.

Has Hinata strode through the halls of the beautiful Palace she couldn't help but to think. Why did her father want her book so badly? Her face screwed up in concentration. Was it the simple fact that he wanted to eliminate anything related to her mother? Or maybe it was what she was learning from that book.

Hinata looked around curiously and picked the pace on the way to the garden as if her thoughts would get her into more trouble. Once she was in the garden she relaxed a bit. Most members of her Clan did not dare to enter here lest Hiashi find out. Hinata was another case entirely. This place was like her birthright and inheritance from her mother.

She sat down and smiled. Even if everything in the world were to fall apart. This place was always perfect.

"Lady Hinata." A Branch member of the Clan spoke. Hinata turned and frowned. Not because she had anything against the woman calling her. No, she was frowning because of that blasted mark on her forehead that every branch member held. It was degrading.

"Yes?" She responded politely. The young woman seemed to relax at the fact that Hinata wasn't going to be upset with her. The Branch woman bowed.

"Emperor Hiashi requires your presence at your earliest convenience" Hinata physically nodded but mentally scoffed. Her statement simple translated into: 'Get here now'. The woman left, leaving Hinata alone with her thoughts.

"Why did everything end up coming to this?" Hinata asked herself. She turned her gaze upward towards the sky and sighed. To be free would be greater then all of the treasure in the world. One day she would be free. But for now she had to go and see what her father wanted.

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"Hinata." Hiashi called out, his voice echoing out through the throne room.

"Yes Father?" Hinata bowed, her hair hiding the frown of displeasure on her face.

"Tell me of the suitors? Have you decided on one?" Hiashi's tone was more demanding over actually caring for his Daughter.

Hinata had to weigh her options carefully at this point. If she told her father that she had indeed accepted someone then she would be wed almost instantly. If she told him that she rejected all of them then she would have to face his anger again and something about today screamed not to test him.

Maybe she could apply to his sense of vanity.

"I have Father but it was not the best choice. I do not think any of these men were worthy of being with a Hyuuga." Hinata looked up to her father carefully.

Hiashi listened and weighed each word carefully. His eyes narrowed on his Daughter. He knew what she was up to but he couldn't help but to agree.

"You are right for once. None of them seem worthy enough for a Hyuuga. I will dismiss them all tomorrow." Hinata felt her heart swell with joy at being able to dodge. "However, in one month's time you will be married to the next suitor. There will be no escaping this. Now leave my sight, It hurts my eyes just to look at your pathetic form."

"Of course Father." Hinata said quietly before turning around and heading for the massive red wood double doors with the golden handles. She heard him scoff at her. Hinata could have sworn she felt his eyes burn a hole in the back of her head as she walked.

Hinata left quickly before her emotions could rise again. She darted to her room and shut the door quietly. She only had one month to get everything she needed right. She locked the door to her room. She couldn't afford distractions right now.

[][][][]

Naruto, Minato, Kushina, Guy and Lee were all inside of a rather large tent while the others were out and unloading the supplies from the boats. Naruto was looking more energized than normal and for good reason. They were planning their attack on this Zabuza fellow.

"So how many people do we have that are able to fight right now?" Minato asked Guy, the commander of the armies that he had brought. In truth they were down about half from their original force. They were a powerful Empire after all.

"To be youthfully honest Minato. We hardly have One Hundred. Many are still recovering from a sickness they got at sea. Totally we have about Five Hundred able fighters when they recover." Guy finished quietly.

"That is all that survived?" Kushina asked exasperated. Guy sadly nodded.

"Afraid so." Lee commented quietly. But Guy loudly patted him on the back.

"It is a most youthful honor to free a town from evil! I believe with the fires of youth we will win!" Guy pumped his fist into the air. Lee joined him quickly with a mighty 'Yosh!'

"Yeah we can do this!" Naruto joined in quickly. Minato and Kushina shook their heads and sighed.

"Alright Naruto since you seem so eager I want you to lead this. You have one hundred men under your command. You will have Guy and Lee as co-leaders. Do your best Son." Minato gave his son a brief nod before leaving with Kushina. Naruto pulled out a map of the town he had gotten from Tazuna and laid it on the table.

"Alright to here is the town" Naruto put it hand over the center of the city. "This is where Tazuna said Zabuza lives and commands from." Naruto moved his finger to a rather large building in the village. "And here is where I believe would be the best point of entrance." Naruto pointed to a small gap to the side of the village.

Guy and Lee studied the map and the small gap. Naruto said that this Zabuza person had a small army of thugs at his command. Not to mention that Zabuza himself is a very skilled swordsmen, One of Seven Legendary from this land. Most of the fighters the Namikazes brought were skilled fighters in their own right and should have very little problem fighting some thugs.

The main problem that Guy could see is the sheer numbers one. They simply did not have as many members needed for this. Still, they would fight and serve to free this village. It was the Namikaze way to help those in need.

Lee looked at the map one more time and spoke "Pardon me Naruto but that may not be the best way. If you look, there are hills on both sides of this entrance" Lee pointed to the hills on the map "If there were archers up there then we would be at a loss. We could always check these hills but it would give us away."

He paused to let Naruto think about that. It was blatantly true and Naruto felt like an idiot for letting that slip past him. He decided that this way was not the best way. He began to look for a better one. It didn't take him long to realize that there really was no better way.

Naruto would bring up a path or idea and Guy or Lee would show him that there was a rather obvious flaw to each of his plans. He grew impatient trying to come up with a better idea. All the paths had possible guards and they didn't have the people for a full on town attack.

He looked at the map again, finding his vision drifting to the main road that Tazuna talked about. Many people would come through there and stop for the night before heading out. Many kinds of people came. From farmers to other Samurai to large caravan lines full of stuff. Of course most of the supplies went to Zabuza.

Naruto's head snapped up at the thought. They had a small number of people and could easily disguise themselves. "Tazuna told me that on this main road here" He pointed to the road with his index finger "He said that caravan lines come through there all the time and drop off supplies for Zabuza. We have a small enough number of people and the supplies to make the disguise here. Could we use that?"

Both Guy and Lee looked at each other. That could very well work. They would sneak into the village and get close to Zabuza. Then spring the trap. The shock and awe affect of the surprise would stun them enough to get the upper hand quickly. This would turn the odds in their favor if done right.

"Yosh! I think that would work!" Lee proclaimed loudly. Guy nodded quickly.

"I shall let the others know of the plans. Lee! You make sure the caravans are ready. Naruto go and rally the people!" Guy gave him a thumbs up with a large sparkling white smile. Naruto and Lee nodded and took off to do their tasks.

[][][][]

Meanwhile, while the planning and preparations of the Namikaze were happen the Uchiha were already in full swing. Over the week Itachi had mobilized the entire Uchiha army and had prepped them for war. Today was the day that the war council of the Uchiha decided was the day for the attack.

The village on the other side of their mountains was a small town that they intended to use to gain some power in the Land of Fire. They were going to send a small force to quickly wipe the town clean and take it over. There was only one problem.

Hiashi had thought of this before hand. He had called upon his alliance with the large village of Suna to go and watch an possibly protect the small town from the Uchiha.

Turns out that he was right.

Only one member of the strike team had come back to report to Itachi.

"Lord Itachi!" The soldier called out, his armor shredded and blood stained. Itachi nodded to the man concerned as to the reason he was injured.

"What is the report?" He asked in a calm and cool tone.

"We were attacked. Sand Samurai. Gaara is there." The soldier said between heavy breathes. Itachi nodded and considered the information given to him. The Sand was a problem he was hoping to fight later on but not right now. Gaara was even worse. His sword 'Shukaku' and his Tanuki fighting style were rather legendary.

"Thank you. Go an rest." the soldier bowed gratefully and hobbled away.

"Kakashi." Itachi called out. Within mere moment the silver haired man with one red eye was there.

"You called Itachi?" He asked in a bored like manner.

"Yes. Suna interfered with the attack today. Their main army is currently at that small town." Itachi said while looking him dead in the eye, trying to gauge his reaction.

"I figured that would happen." Itachi frowned.

"And you decided to not mention this?"

"It was a guess. I didn't know for sure." Kakashi replied quickly. Itachi sighed. Kakashi may be a brilliant strategist but some times he irritated Itachi.

"The War Council demands we take the town today regardless of Suna. Tell me Kakashi, how are we going to take this town?" Kakashi closed his eyes and began to think. He needed a plan to get this done and quickly. He slowly opened up his eyes.

"Suna is still recovering from the economic collapse right?" Itachi nodded "Then they must be lower on people. I say we let the cannons hit the city first then run in with our main invasion force. We should outnumber them. And with the explosions..." He let that sentence linger in the air. Itachi thought about it. This could work in their favor. It would take a great deal of time before word reached Hiashi of this attack.

"And what of Gaara?" Itachi asked. Kakashi eye smiled at him.

"I'll handle him." Kakashi was well known as the only non-Uchiha to master the Sharingan and Mangekyo Sharingan stances. This coupled with his sword 'Lightning' He was a force to behold.

"Very well. You have five hours to get everything ready." Itachi dismissed him with the wave of his hand. Kakashi bowed and left, leaving Itachi to his thoughts.

"I hope that one day there can be peace in the land."

[][][][]

Just like Kakashi planned is how the attack happened. The cannon men launched a few volleys of dragon faced missiles into the city that was occupied by the sand. And just as Kakashi predicted they did not have the force to stand up to them through pure martial might.

After the shelling Kakashi lead the troops on the offensive, his black and silver body armor shining in the setting sun light. The mass of black Uchiha armor behind him.

Gaara knew that this would most likely be his last battle so he decided to make it count. He was going to drag as many as he could down with him. Rallying up his troops he launched into battle.

The two forces collided in a mountain of steel and flesh. Bones were broken and blood was spilled on both sides. Sword met steel. Flesh meet blades. Blood met Earth. Though the rage of battle was going on around them Gaara and Kakashi still managed to find each other.

"Gaara of the Sand." Kakashi said in a normal tone of voice. Despite the fighting Gaara could hear him perfectly.

"Kakashi of the Sharingan. I take it you are here because of the scouting party?" Gaara's emotionless tone carried over to him. He slowly pulled out his sword. The steel reflecting on the sword causing it to shine. The brown wrappings on the handle marked it wildly in the lush green lands they were currently.

Kakashi nodded "Yes I am. Itachi needs this town for the upcoming war." Gaara nodded quietly.

"I cannot let you have it. I am sorry." Kakashi shrugged and pulled out his sword. The small blue tint to the tip of sword marked it as the infamous 'Lightning Blade'.

"It is a shame but you have to die now." Kakashi said, getting into the first tomoe stance of the Sharingan fighting form.

"The same goes for you." Gaara said falling into his Tanuki stance.

Kakashi made the first move and tried to cleave Gaara in half with an overhead swing.

_Clang!_

Gaara's sword met Kakashi's in a horizontal block. Gaara drew back his left leg to his chest.

_Thump!_

Gaara kicked Kakashi in the stomach to push him away. He then lunged and went for a horizontal mid-section strike.

_Parry!_

Kakashi dropped into the second stage for the fighting stance and stopped the blade dead in it's tracks.

_Crack!_

Gaara was hit with a left hook to his face causing him to stumble backwards. Kakashi went for a stab.

_Swirl!_

Gaara used the momentum of the previous hit to spin around the blade bring up his fist in the process.

_Smack!_

Gaara landed a punch of his own to Kakashi's face. Kakashi sighed deeply to himself and tried to recover his breath. He noticed he was already in the third stage of the Sharingan and still could not keep the battle in his favor. He would have no choice.

But Gaara wouldn't let him think. He lunged forward again and with a quick swipe of the sword, landed a blow on his right forearm. The blood rushed out quickly. Kakashi kicked Gaara in the chest and sent him to the floor.

Kakashi quickly hopped on top of him and brought his sword down in a stabbing motion to end him. Gaara punched his left knee, causing him to lose balance and fall to the side. Both Gaara and Kakashi stood up and locked eyes.

Both men breathing heavily, both growing more and more tired, both ready to end it. With the same thought in mind they lunged at each other.

_Clang Clang Clang!_

Their swords meet each other over and over. Sparks begin to fly as the metals meet. The two men hop away from each other. Both looking at each other with fierce looks in their eyes. Both men ready to end it at a moments notice.

Kakashi sighs loudly "Congratulations Gaara. You are one of the few people to ever make me use this." Kakashi spoke with a rare display of emotion as his stance changed. Gaara knew this stance almost instantly. It was the Mangekyo Sharingan stance.

_Slash!_

_Stab!_

_Thrust!_

_Cut!_

Gaara was instantly put on the defensive by Kakashi. He strikes were so much more focused and precise. This no doubt took more energy on Kakashi's part but for Gaara it meant doing something he was not good at. Dodging.

_Swipe Swipe Swipe!_

Gaara was again forced to dodge the quick attacks by Kakashi. He was doing his best to stay alive but he knew it was only a matter of time before he would have to use his last resort style.

_Grunt!_

Gaara grabbed Kakashi's wrist and pushed him back a few feet. Gaara looked Kakashi in his eye and frowned. He hated having to use this stance but he needed to. Gaara adjusted his feet and dropped into the One-Tailed fighting form.

Kakashi saw the switch and prepared. This fight was far from over.

_Swish!_

Gaara took a swing at his mid-section, only for Kakashi to hop backwards to avoid it but Gaara was on him the very next second.

_Ting!_

The blades met. The resulting sparks forced both men to look away. Kakashi used this moment to trip Gaara.

_Thump!_

Gaara looks up to see a sword come flying down. Gaara rolls away. Panting slightly he stands up quickly.

_Slash Stab Swipe Slash!_

Kakashi is forced to dodge a quick series of strikes. He jumps back and eyes Gaara, who at the moment is charging him again. Kakashi sighs and changes his stance. He would have to use this attack again.

_Kamui!_

Kakashi yells before his attack. Gaara makes a swipe at Kakashi only to hit...air.

_Stab_...

Gaara looked down to see Kakashi's sword piercing through his chest. He reached down and touched the blood, savoring its warmth as it left his body. Kakashi pulled out the sword with a wet and slick sounding noise. Gaara stumbled backwards before falling to his knees.

"So this is (Cough) the end for me?" Gaara asked through rough and labored breaths. Blood spurting out of his mouth as he coughed.

"Afraid so. It was an honor to fight you Gaara." Kakashi said with a respectful bow.

"And (Cough) It was and honor to (Cough) die by your hand Kakashi." Gaara gave one final nod before falling forward, dead. Kakashi watched as Gaara's eyes slowly lost their light before their closing. He sighed heavily to himself. This was the nasty part of war. Having to watch as someone's life left their body. It haunted Kakashi. Ever since Obito.

Kakashi took this time to look around him. The battle was slowly waning down and by the looks of it, the Uchiha were winning. Suna put up a much better fight than Kakashi would have thought, taking out nearly half of the army that was sent here.

It took only another hour for the Uchiha to remove the rest of the Samurai from Suna. Kakashi stood on top of a building and smiled.

The Uchiha had won the first battle.

[][][][]

Back at Suna a surviving citizen had run away and managed to survive. He was tired and exhausted having to be on the run for the past few hours just to make it here. But he had a job to do. Lord Gaara had fallen and a new leader needed to be elected and brought to power.

The city of the sand was a beautiful one in the way it was carved and shaped. The moon and it's light made it all the more appealing. The sand in the desert surrounded them like an endless sea, spanning for many miles.

The citizen pulled off their turban to reveal blonde hair in pigtails. Four of them to be exact. The citizen needed to get to the palace. A message needed to be sent.

[][][][]

[Few hours prior to the Uchiha invasion]

Naruto, Guy and Lee had assembled the soldier they had and prepped them for the upcoming fight. It was a little bit of a challenge for the group to coordinate everything at once but they had managed.

For Naruto the challenge was getting the troops to believe in him and his plan. Seeing as how most of these men were traditional fighters and fought in large scale battles. To them this plan seemed a little dishonorable but they could see the merit. They were a much smaller force and to go in there and die because they didn't want to fight another way was even worse.

Guy found his job to be rather easy is only a bit tedious. Minato and Kushina seemed to be able to dodge him every step of the way. Just when he thought he saw them he would go over to them only to find them to be elsewhere. Eventually he did up find them and telling them both. He explained the plan and they readily agreed with it.

Lee had found his job to be simple in nature. Just help the people make the caravans. Only problem with that was finding some people who were not busy to be able to do that with. This turned into a really big problem. He had searched all over the beach to find people but everyone was so busy! He decided that he would make them himself. Turns out he had a rather natural knack for it and created them quickly.

When they all met they shared a nod.

It was time to end this evil.

[][][][]

**AN: There is Chapter two for you all! I am really happy with the response I got on the last chapter of this story and I hope you all enjoy this one just as much. It was fun to write! Anyways, if this story keeps picking up speed I may have another chapter in store for the rest of you. We shall see eh? Till next time. **


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